Across The Universe
by The Starkiller
Summary: Julia Pond woke up on a park bench in Liverpool, 1962 without any memory of how she got there. She makes her way to The Cavern Club to listen to The Beatles play their noon set while she tried to regain her memory, and one of the band takes an interest in her. Will she remember and make it back to the twenty first century, or is she stuck? AN: A three shot that I wrote for English.
1. Chapter 1

Across The Universe

**Chapter One**

I awoke on a bench in a park, dazed and confused. There seemed to be a lapse in my memory, as if someone had taken a scene and cut it out while editing the movie that is my life. I sat up, trying to remember everything that I could. The last thing I remember was walking across the street to my flat. This was definitely not my flat.

The next thing I noticed was that everyone who walked by me (while shooting me strange looks) were wearing clothes that dated back to the early 1960's. Since, I was now sitting up, a young man sat next to me and began reading. It was a newspaper called Mersey Beat. Now, I'm not any type of historian, but I do know that Mersey Beat was no longer being published.

"'Ey, mister," I said, but stopped talking for a second. To my shock, my posh London accent had taken on a Liverpudlian twist. I pushed the surprise away and finished my question, since it was obvious that I now had his full, undivided attention. "Could ye' give me the date?"

"It's 7 January, 1962," he said, and stared at the look on my face. "I suppose ye' wish to know the time as well?"

"Perhaps."

"It's twenty to twelve."

"Ta," I thanked him, and got up to leave, but I turned to him again and asked,

"Ye' wouldn't happen to know what places are near here, would ye'?"  
He set down his newspaper, an amused look on his face. "'Ave you got amnesia or something?"

"Might," I muttered, but then rephrased louder, "No, and I asked first."

"The only place I can think of that I'd want to go to 'round 'ere is The Cavern," he said, and got up. "The Beatles are playing the noon set. They're the top group in Liverpool, y'know."

"Thanks again, mister," I thanked him. "I'll be going, then."

"'Ere, I'll go with ye', seeing as you seem to have a faulty memory. I usually go to The Cavern 'round this time anyway," he told me.

"My name is Julia," I introduced myself.

"I'm James," he said, and we walked to The Cavern Club.


	2. Chapter 2

Across The Universe

**Chapter Two**

The Cavern Club was a name which I knew from all my years of obsessing over The Beatles. Of course, most of this obsessing had been done in the twenty-first century instead of the twentieth. It didn't quite occur to me at the time that I was living every twenty-first century Beatlemaniac's dream: I, under mysterious circumstances, time traveled back in time, and was en route to one of the band's first concerts where they were starting to show some talent. According to the date, this wasn't too long after a poll in Mersey Beat named them the number one group in Liverpool, which James had told me.

We arrived at The Cavern about twenty minutes before the show was to begin. This was a good thing, since we would need all of that time to get through the line because we were behind a whole lot of fangirls. Even back in the day, The Beatles had a steady and extremely supportive fanbase. They were all talking about the bands that were playing, but mostly they talked about The Beatles. James payed for both of us (something I thanked him for profusely), and we were in.

The band took the stage, and I was instantly enthralled. This wasn't watching performances on Youtube or on DVD. It was The Beatles, live and in person. _Live_. I didn't hear the screams, or James talking to me, which I nodded submissively to. My ears only seemed to be filtering through the guitars and harmonies. It was perfect, as if they were playing only to me.

They played the standard repertoire for that time period, mostly covers. I thoroughly enjoyed the show, though I was surprised how extremely unprofessional the band was back in the day. They ate and drank on stage, and they yelled and insulted the crowd (though this was more characteristic of Lennon than the other three). I decided that I was enjoying it, though. It was no different than getting yelled at when you're at a metal or alternative concert in the present (I've been to many in my life and have been called many things worse than what John was yelling at me; this was a walk in the park).

Soon, though, the show came to an end, and some other band took the stage, not doing the previous band much justice. They just didn't have the same charisma that The Beatles had. While they were on stage, though, I swore I locked eyes with Paul McCartney, and he winked at me. At me, Julia Pond, a struggling writer (formerly) from the twenty first century. Am I off topic now? I thought as much; as I said before, the show ended, and I tried to get myself into the other band, but I just couldn't. Under my breath I began to sing "Nowhere Man", forgetting that I probably shouldn't be doing that.

"What're ye' singin'?" a voice asked. "I 'aven't heard it before. Who's it by?"

I turned around to face the owner of the voice, who turned out to be a young John Lennon. I froze in my spot. What do I say, _Oh, just some song you'll write in three years that will influence different bands throughout entire generations. Nothing special._? No!

"Just somethin' I've 'ad in me head for awhile," I lied. "Julia Pond." I held out my hand for him to shake.

"John Lennon," he introduced himself, though I could have taken the words from his mouth. "Me mate Paul asked me to come find ye'. He 'ad his eye on ye' the whole show, y'know." I felt my cheeks flush red.

"Oh yeah?" I asked.

"Yeah. So, are ye' coming with me or not?" he asked, eyeing James. "With your friend too, if he wishes."

"He does," James agreed. He sounded almost as if he had some sort of claim to me, which the twenty-first century part of me was annoyed about.

"Yeah," I agreed. "Let's go." As James and I followed John through the crowd, I whispered to him, "Ye' didn't have to do that."

"You have memory loss and I found you sleeping on a park bench. Did I strike you as the type of bloke that would let a lady under his watch wander off with some man she doesn't know?" James argued. I didn't reply.

"Julia Pond," John said, "meet Paul McCartney." A man with doe eyes and a baby face that I had instantly recognized as Paul McCartney stood up to greet me. Also present was a very young George Harrison, along with Ringo Starr, the two of them playing a game of cards. The two Beatles gave me a wave, then shared a glance, and went back to their game.

"Julia Pond," Paul said as he shook my hand slowly, his eyes never leaving mine.

"A very beautiful name for a very beautiful girl."

"Laying it on thick today, aren't ye', Macca?" George asked quietly, his eyes never leaving his cards.

"Shuddap," Paul said to him, then introduced us, "Julia, that's George who just decided to throw in his two cents, and across from him is Ringo."

"Hello," I said.

"That's a load of crap!" Ringo exclaimed as looked up from his cards at George.

"You rigged it! I don't know how, but you rigged me hand!"

"Did not!" George defended himself. "Yer just a poor sport."

"Want to go for a drink?" Paul asked me.

"Why not?" I replied. I mouthed "sorry" to James, who shrugged and sat down at the table with George and Ringo, and told them to deal him in.

Paul and I left The Cavern to go to another club, I don't quite remember its name. What I do remember is that the newly-Ringoless Rory Storm and the Hurricanes were playing. We had a pint or two, and danced to a of couple songs. I was having the time of my life; when had I ever danced with a Beatle before? We tripped on each other's feet and fell on the floor laughing. Paul helped me up, and we left.

"Are ye' going back to The Cavern?" Paul asked.

"Nah," I replied. "I think I'm going to head for home. After all of that, I'm feeling a bit knackered."

"Oh," Paul looked at ground, then back at me and asked, "Will I ever see you again, Julia?"

"Sure you will!" I assured him as I laughed. "Tell ye' what, I'll come to the noon set again tomorrow and I'll hunt ye' down."

"Promise?"

"Promise," I agreed. We said our farewells, then we went our separate ways.

There is another lapse in memory similar to the first one, where the editor snipped some film from the movie of my life. The last thing I remember is walking down the road, feeling happy and free.


	3. Chapter 3

Across The Universe

**Chapter Three**

"She's awake!"

I opened my eyes and blinked groggily. My sight was blurry, but it was slowly becoming more and more clear. I was aware that I was laying in bed, and I slowly came to the conclusion that I was in a hospital. For what, I had no idea. There were people standing at the foot of my bed that I couldn't place, but I seemed to know. They were all grinning ecstatically; one woman who looked a great deal like me looked like she was on the verge of tears (Lucy, I remembered. My twin sister Lucy. We had been named after girls from Beatles songs).

"Oh, thank _God_ you're alright!" Lucy exclaimed as she ran from my brother-in-law's embrace (ironically, his name was Jude) across the room to my bed and flung herself on me.

"Of course I'm alright," I said as I tried to push her off of me. "What happened to me?" I asked.

"She doesn't even know what happened to her!" Lucy said to Mum. She was definitely the more dramatic twin.

"It's pretty common to not remember what happened when you're hit by a truck almost head-on," Jude told her. "No need to get upset, love."

"None of you know what it's like to think that your twin died!" Lucy said.

"She's tired," Mum apologized for Lucy's theatrics. "She's been here without sleep for almost two straight days since we heard." She put an arm around Lucy and led her out the door to the cafeteria to go get some coffee.

"So, Jules," Jude said. "What was it like?"

"Well," I said as I sat up. "You'll never believe this, but I think I time traveled."

"Where?" Jude asked as he took a seat next to me. My sister's husband was often the only person in my family who took me seriously. My story about my time travels were no exception to the routine.

"Liverpool, of course," I replied. "1960's. I hung out with The Beatles, namely, Paul McCartney."

"Sweet," he said as he stood up. "We're going to let you get some rest. Hopefully, when we come back you'll remember what happened, yeah?"

Though Jude took my time travel seriously, the rest of my family, friends, and co-workers merely laughed and patted me on the shoulder as if I were a child. I came to accept it. Things happen that we can't explain. I was hit by a truck and it sent me back in time for an hour. It was best hour of my life.

But we also can only believe one person, and that person is yourself. I believe that I time traveled, and I believe that I met The Beatles. You can believe what you will, but I wanted you to hear my story before you went jumping to conclusions like all of the others. Maybe you're different than them. But whatever you may or may not say, I went back in time and met the greatest band of all time. How many people can say _that_?


End file.
